The Victorian era occurred during the reign of Queen Victoria. Domestically, this period was liberal with shifts towards political reform. In the early part of the era the House of Commons was dominated by the Whigs and the Conservatives. From the 1850's onward the Whigs became the Liberals. Problems relating to Ireland played a large political role in the late Victorian era particularly dealing with the determination to achieve a political settlement. In January of 1858 the Prime Minister, Lord Palmerston, responded to the Orsini plot against Napoleon III by attempting to convict him of a felony. However, the resulting uproar forced his resignation. Further turmoil occurred in July of 1866 when an angry crowd in London protested Russell's resignation as prime minister. The mob was barred from Hyde Park by the police, but that didn't stop them from tearing down iron railings and trampling the flower beds. Such political upheavals convinced leaders of the need for further parliamentary reform. Nevertheless, in 1887 tens of thousands of socialists and unemployed citizens met in Trafalgar Square to lead a movement against the government. Armed soldiers and two-thousand police officers responded resulting in hundreds injured and two dead. This event was referred to as Bloody Sunday.
Working class conditions were still relatively bad. Three reform bills gave the vote to most males over twenty-one. Child labor remained a serious problem although a bill was passed detailing that children under nine years of age could not work in the textile industry. However, this bill did not apply to other industries and did nothing to help teenage prostitution.
In 1875 Britain bought Egypt's shares in the Suez Canal while in 1882 Egypt became a protectorate of Great Britain after British troops occupied the land surrounding the Suez Canal to secure the trade route to India.
Suez Canal
Social:
The Victorian era is usually associated with being characteristically prudish, repressed, and old-fashioned. However, these descriptions do not adequately describe the time period. It was more about the expansion of wealth, power, and culture. The Victorians broke ground with new ideas and change. Among them were democracy, feminism, unionization of workers, socialism, and Marxism.
The Victorian people had a great sense of social responsibility. The social classes were very distinct and included the working class, men and women who performed physical labor who were paid daily and weekly wages, the middle class, men performing mental work who were paid monthly or annually, and the upper class, who did not work with their income stemming from inherited lands and investments.
Relations between women and men depended on social class. Sexual behavior was, in fact, very constricted. In the proper middle and upper-class circles women were supposed to have no sexual conduct until marriage, the most acceptable forms of affection being a hand around the waist, a small kiss, and maybe a strong squeezing of the hand. However, among the working class in London, many lived with their girlfriends starting in their early teenage years. Generally premarital sex was normal in the working class, and in 1800, around a third of brides were pregnant on their wedding day. When a woman married, she had no independent legal status. She had no right to any money, could not make a will or buy property and had no claim to her children.
With the Victorian era came change in the country's mood. The period began with optimism and confidence, but the following economic boom and prosperity eventually lead to uncertainty and doubt about Britain's place in the world.
Religion:
Even though the Victorians claimed they were extremely pure, religion encountered serious changes in this era. Christianity especially was targeted as people began to experience trends of materialism, rationalism, communism, and higher criticism of the Bible. Charles Darwin's theory of evolution contradicted and questioned some core values of Christianity. Namely, that man was created by God, in God's image and is responsible for his sins. Religion took a backseat to science as the industrial revolution caused a loss of faith among citizens.
However, this dissention also resulted in stronger ministers, missionaries, and authors who upheld Christian beliefs. Charles Finney's worldwide revivals occurred in the Victorian era. William and Catherine Booth founded the Salvation Army, which focused on helping the needy in English society while spreading the hope of Jesus Christ.
Trafalgar Square, Bloody Sunday
The Victorian era occurred during the reign of Queen Victoria. Domestically, this period was liberal with shifts towards political reform. In the early part of the era the House of Commons was dominated by the Whigs and the Conservatives. From the 1850's onward the Whigs became the Liberals. Problems relating to Ireland played a large political role in the late Victorian era particularly dealing with the determination to achieve a political settlement. In January of 1858 the Prime Minister, Lord Palmerston, responded to the Orsini plot against Napoleon III by attempting to convict him of a felony. However, the resulting uproar forced his resignation. Further turmoil occurred in July of 1866 when an angry crowd in London protested Russell's resignation as prime minister. The mob was barred from Hyde Park by the police, but that didn't stop them from tearing down iron railings and trampling the flower beds. Such political upheavals convinced leaders of the need for further parliamentary reform. Nevertheless, in 1887 tens of thousands of socialists and unemployed citizens met in Trafalgar Square to lead a movement against the government. Armed soldiers and two-thousand police officers responded resulting in hundreds injured and two dead. This event was referred to as Bloody Sunday.
Working class conditions were still relatively bad. Three reform bills gave the vote to most males over twenty-one. Child labor remained a serious problem although a bill was passed detailing that children under nine years of age could not work in the textile industry. However, this bill did not apply to other industries and did nothing to help teenage prostitution.
In 1875 Britain bought Egypt's shares in the Suez Canal while in 1882 Egypt became a protectorate of Great Britain after British troops occupied the land surrounding the Suez Canal to secure the trade route to India.
Suez Canal
Social:
The Victorian era is usually associated with being characteristically prudish, repressed, and old-fashioned. However, these descriptions do not adequately describe the time period. It was more about the expansion of wealth, power, and culture. The Victorians broke ground with new ideas and change. Among them were democracy, feminism, unionization of workers, socialism, and Marxism.
The Victorian people had a great sense of social responsibility. The social classes were very distinct and included the working class, men and women who performed physical labor who were paid daily and weekly wages, the middle class, men performing mental work who were paid monthly or annually, and the upper class, who did not work with their income stemming from inherited lands and investments.
Relations between women and men depended on social class. Sexual behavior was, in fact, very constricted. In the proper middle and upper-class circles women were supposed to have no sexual conduct until marriage, the most acceptable forms of affection being a hand around the waist, a small kiss, and maybe a strong squeezing of the hand. However, among the working class in London, many lived with their girlfriends starting in their early teenage years. Generally premarital sex was normal in the working class, and in 1800, around a third of brides were pregnant on their wedding day. When a woman married, she had no independent legal status. She had no right to any money, could not make a will or buy property and had no claim to her children.
With the Victorian era came change in the country's mood. The period began with optimism and confidence, but the following economic boom and prosperity eventually lead to uncertainty and doubt about Britain's place in the world.
Religion:
Even though the Victorians claimed they were extremely pure, religion encountered serious changes in this era. Christianity especially was targeted as people began to experience trends of materialism, rationalism, communism, and higher criticism of the Bible. Charles Darwin's theory of evolution contradicted and questioned some core values of Christianity. Namely, that man was created by God, in God's image and is responsible for his sins. Religion took a backseat to science as the industrial revolution caused a loss of faith among citizens.
However, this dissention also resulted in stronger ministers, missionaries, and authors who upheld Christian beliefs. Charles Finney's worldwide revivals occurred in the Victorian era. William and Catherine Booth founded the Salvation Army, which focused on helping the needy in English society while spreading the hope of Jesus Christ.
WORKS CITED:
Victorian England: An Introduction. 4 May 2009 <http://www.english.uwosh.edu/roth/VictorianEngland.htm>.
Fyfe, Aileen. "Victorian Science & Religion." The Victorian Web. 11 June 2002. 4 May 2009 <http://www.victorianweb.org/science/science&religion.html>.
Miller, Ilana. "The Victorian Era (1837 - 1901)." The Victorian Era. 4 May 2009 <http://www.victoriaspast.com/FrontPorch/victorianera.htm>.